


Murder in Blüdhaven

by Anonymous



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Nightwing (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Police, Crimes & Criminals, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, Identity Issues, Identity Porn, Jason Todd is Red Hood, Jason was not adopted by Bruce Wayne, M/M, Past Barbara Gordon/Dick Grayson, Past Rape/Non-con, Police Officer Dick Grayson, Psychological Trauma, Secret Identity, Undercover Jason Todd, Undercover Missions, no beta we die like robins
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-18 11:22:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28866228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Dick gives this so-called Jason maybe three to four months before he gets either killed or discharged. Because here?Police officers fall like flies.Dick Grayson is a police detective haunted by his own demons and running from a past he desperately wants to forget. One day he’s paired up with a newbie who goes by the name of Jason Todd to catch a serial killer running rampage in Blüdhaven.As the days go by, Dick realizes there’s something off about this guy.
Relationships: Dick Grayson/Jason Todd
Comments: 10
Kudos: 126
Collections: Anonymous





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Excited to post this! Enjoy!

Tuesday comes with another day of work. He presses the communicator, as he turns on the engine and it whirls back to life.

“This is Dick Grayson from the third station,” he speaks, as he buckles his seatbelt.

 _Caught another one, Grayson?_ One of his co-workers teases over the comm line and Dick chuckles, glances through the mirror to check the two individuals sitting in the back — handcuffed and giving him a murder-stare Dick’s immune to—and continues.

“I’ve caught two possible suspects related to the fire incident,” Dick says, rearranging his badge, and drives through the streets of Blüdhaven. “Be there in five.”

* * *

Throughout his life, there are some memories that Dick doesn’t want to remember, ever again. Most of those memories are related to the horrors he has seen as a police officer in Blüdhaven. Trauma, as some professionals call it, acquired for trying to make this city a better place and preserving the so-called justice this city lacks.

But some memories don’t quite fit the previous descriptions. Memories that are not related to both his job as a police officer (before becoming a detective) and vigilante and that produce a visceral amount of fear out of him. Dark and gruesome memories placed in the furthest part of his mind and locked under a key, hidden away so no one can find out.

There is a good reason for that.

“Grayson,” his superior calls him, grounding back to reality. The smell of coffee hits his nose and it’s then when he realizes he is not standing in the building anymore but that he's back at the work. In his office filled with paperwork and one cup of coffee.

The plaque of _‘Detective Dick Grayson'_ stares back at him. But there’s something… different... in his desk, Dick realizes.

Cleaner.

“It was the newbie,” Sam, his co-worker whispers as Amy shouts, “Grayson!”

He offers a smile to the recent newbie, Jason Todd, who had the bad luck to be relocated here. Normally recently graduated officers would go straight to patrol duty and solve cases. But in Blüdhaven, every newbie that comes to this establishment must endure the most boring assignments for six-week straights.

And hopefully, make them resign.

There’s a good reason for that. While Blüdhaven may be the center of jokes from SNL and the whole nation in general, for its rancid smell and their worst pizza (that could possibly rival LA’s pizza, but that’s a different debate altogether), it has the highest police officer’s mortality only below Gotham.

“I’m going, I’m going,” Dick says standing up and stretches, not before taking the last sip of coffee. Dick gives this so-called Jason maybe three to four months before he gets either killed or discharged. Because here?

Police officers fall like flies.

* * *

Amy Rohrbach is a thirty-seven-year-old officer who oversees the station. She’s famous in the whole justice department for bringing the biggest drug trafficking ring in Blüdhaven down. Oprah even invited her to her show. She’s famous. Her whole career is full of achievements, it’s why most part of this city is safer. She’s one of the few honest officers that work towards justice.

She’s fearless and honest, two of the things Dick appreciates the most in this field. It reminds him of Bruce, in a way, because she doesn’t doubt once she makes up her mind. Which sometimes is a blessing and sometimes a headache.

Dick pushes the door and finds her, leaning against the nearest wall, with her arms crossed. But the pose itself doesn’t catch his attention, it’s her face to be more exact. She isn’t wearing the distinct red lips and her hair is messily tied up in a bun so __Amy__ , which can only mean Dick will either get a new partner or a new mission.

Or worse, _retirement._

“Take a seat,” She commands pointing at the chair of shame, only reserved when one of her men is going to get a yelling or a reprimand for hours. She narrows her eyes when he sees how he hesitates before she adds, with a roll of her eyes. “No, you’re not going to get yelled at. Now sit your ass down. Don’t have all day.”

Amy clears her throat and Dick braces to hear the worst.

“Dick,” Amy starts in a soft voice which immediately makes all internal danger alarm go off. He grips the armrest harder because there have been only three times in all the years Dick has been working here, where Amy doesn’t speak like the badass woman that she is.

And every time Amy does it there’s always bad news involved.

“It’s been six months since Catalina died,” She says kindly. Or well, as kindly as she can breaking the news. She continues with her speech oblivious to how Dick’s breath momentarily hitches at the name. There is no day or night in which he isn’t enslaved by memories that he desperately wants to forget.

Dick tries to get his emotions in check, faintly registering Amy touching his hands, who's too focused on breaking the news.

Then again, Dick has always been a good actor.

“I know you both were close, and I've tried to let my superiors leave you alone, but there’s…a case,” She continues, momentarily wincing at her poor choice of words. She is Amy Rohrbach. Sugarcoating is not part of her vocabulary.

“A case,” He faintly repeats, feeling that with every second that passes, he’s feeling weaker. He doesn’t want to open his eyes and see the pity in Amy’s eyes, because she doesn’t know. Despite the insistence from his superiors or his family in declaring, nobody knows what really happened to Catalina that night. It is a secret he will gladly keep to his grave.

_(because he doesn’t want to imagine how they’ll see him. He’s seen what happens to those who testify and the amount of fear he has of being mocked still gives him shiver)_

“Yes. A serial killer is roaming the streets of Blüdhaven. We don’t know when he started attacking, but this week is the fifth body we found near the river,” She says taking a folder out of her desk. It has _CLASSIFIED_ on it, with the official stamp of Blüdhaven.

He opens the folder, and skins through the material, ignoring how his hands struggle to cooperate. Amy doesn’t comment on it, letting Dick inspect the documents. On the first page it’s signed by all the current authorities of this city, the major included. He can’t help but frown when he sees it. Amy sighs, slumping in the chair.

He opens his mouth with all intentions to start asking questions but Amy lunges first.

“Yes, you were recommended. Yes, the major wanted you on the case. No, you can’t refuse. And before you start interrogating me, you need a partner and that’s final,” Amy declaring with that tone no protest will be considered. Then, to his horror, she points at Jason, who’s outside the building taking a smoke.

The same newbie who can’t _shoot_ as if his life depends on it. The same guys who wear a leather jacket as if it was an ancient relic.

“Are you kidding me?” He blurts out, through clenched teeth. This must be a joke or something. “I’m not a fucking babysitter.”

“I’m not,” Amy cuts him off immediately. “You’ll have the patrol at 9 o'clock.”

“Amy- “Dick tries to voice out his arguments, but he knows it’s futile.

“Congratulations Grayson.” Amy looks at him, dead in the eye with the dullest voice possible. “It’s a boy.”

Dick _groans._


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm floored by the response from you guys! thank you!
> 
>   
> lm  
> tw: implied non/con it's not explicit, but If you want to skip it please go to "The official report..."

Dick doesn't understand what’s happening at first. There’s an uncomfortable pressure in his back, and there are two hands around his waist. He can’t move, which is _ridiculous_ because last time he checked both of his legs were working properly and-

 _“Dick,”_ someone speaks. Female by the sound of it and her voice echoes until it’s only a whisper. He doesn’t know where that voice is, only that it exists. Dick opens his mouth, ready to ask who it is until he hears it.

_“Let’s try your stamina, huh?”_

His world stops as the horrifying picture soon bleeds. He’s pinned under the concrete and there’s a smirk on _her, Catalina's_ face. He tries to get out of her grip, to get away, but his body refuses to cooperate. He’s powerless, frozen on the spot watching how _her_ hand inches lower until they stop in front of his pants.

 _“Stops,”_ Dick tries to say but _she_ hushes him. The sound of his pants unzipping is the only warning he gets before the fear comes at full force.

 _“Stop,”_ he whispers but she chuckles, as if this was just a silly game, and licks his tears away. It is there when Dick realizes he’s not in control anymore. He can't escape, and for the first time in many years, this feels just like Haly’s all over again.

He can only watch how this nightmare unfolds right in front of his eyes.

* * *

Dick wakes up gasping for air, his whole body covered in sweat and his heart is beating way too fast for his own likings. The last thing he remembers is a hand unzipping his pants but all he sees now is his bedroom who, judging by the mess, has seen better days.

A _nightmare_ , his mind concludes and he exhales in relief, leaning his head against the pillow, completely and utterly exhausted. “It’s not real,” Dick mutters softly, staring at the ceiling. If he squints hard enough he can see the black stain Tim accidentally did after they tried painting the ceiling in his apartment three years ago.

“It was just a nightmare,” he repeats under his breath. Dick takes in a deep breath, despite how _hard_ it feels to even breathe. He is not on the rooftops. He’s in his apartment. He’s _safe._ He shuts his eyes, wanting to forget the hands, her body pressing against his, the voice. His breathing quickens as the memories replays fast in his mind. _Aw, are you shy now?_

The lamp on his bed stands breaks into two.

He can faintly register the pain and the bleeding in his hand, only that everything _hurts_ and, and-

 _She_ did not stop.

His hands start trembling.

She never _stopped._

That’s how he spends the rest of the night, scrubbing with fervor each part of his body until it’s all red and tender and only stops when he no longer feels dirty, filthy, and _used_ like he normally feels each day. He lays under the shower, his head resting against the white tiles as the burning and scalding hot water hits every inch of his skin.

Dick can’t even feel it.

He only wants to _forget_.

(He can _**never**_ forget)

* * *

The official report that was filed surrounding the events that culminated in Catalina’s death was that she fell to her death from the tenth floor. She impacted on the pavement with such a force it took weeks reassembling her remains.

The forensic ruled her death as _an accident,_ probably intimidated by the fact that ruling it as a possible suicide would make the whole Blüdhaven Police Department look like a fool. Or like all the common Blüdhaven peeps say here, stupider than they _already_ are.

Considering the local gangs operating here, the repercussions would later bite them in the ass. The only eyewitness was him but no matter how hard Dick tried he couldn’t get to testify. Every time he sat in the room, faced the detective, and listened to their questions, all he could hear was the sound of her body hitting the floor and her scream.

The psychological evaluation that followed didn’t help whatsoever. It was Amy in the end, who closed the case. _It’s okay,_ Amy said in their last interrogation after dismissing the detectives. She’d touched his hands with hers and looked at him straight in the.

A look with the closest thing to the word compassion.

_You can go now, Grayson. She muttered. It will be okay._

Dick was given two weeks off to heal whatever emotional wounds he got by seeing her fall and then he was back to work. There are some days in which Dick can close his eyes and hear her frantic pleads. The terrifying scream she let out once she slipped out of his hold or the blood on the pavement.

_(And he doesn’t think he’ll forget)_

Before _everything_ , Catalina had been a good partner. Not the best but capable. This is why having a _newbie_ as his partner, in this case, is so frustrating. Blüdhaven isn’t a forgiving city in that sense. She’s _vicious and_ spares no mercy whatsoever to newbies who think they can outplay her.

He enters the police station at 9:01 A.M and already tired.

“Grayson you look like shit and you’re late,” is the first thing Amy says as a greeting ans points at his bandaged hand. “Did you...got into a fight?”

 _With my bed stand? Yes, but I’ll make no further comments, thanks_.

“No. Contrary to what people think, I do sleep,” Dick says, covering a yawn with his other hands. Amy arches an eyebrow. “Like shit, but I do sleep. Anyways,” he says, changing the topic and scanning the surroundings. “Where’s the newbie?”

“Probably outside,” Amy says and gives him two folders.”Give me a report by Friday will ya?”

In other words, _make sure the Newbie doesn’t die_.

“Sure,” he says once Amy disappears and walks outside, the newbie already waiting for him.

“I’m Jason,” the rookie introduces himself and stretches his hands out in a greeting. Dick stares at him, with disinterest. Tall is the first thing that comes to his mind. 5’10-ish, blue eyes that scream _‘you have the right to remain silent’_ and a black leather jacket that has seen far better days. Might as well wrap in a bowtie and personally gift him to the person they’re supposed to catch because everything screams _fresh meat._

God, why the hell Amy paired him with an _inept?_

“Grayson,” he says curtly with a nod, “follow me,” and then he adds because he didn’t live with an English butler for nothing. “ _Please._ ”

The so-called Jason salutes.

“Sure thing officer-”

“Detective,” he interrupts, glances back at him because he didn’t waste sweat, blood and tears for nothing. “Detective Grayson.”

“So,” Jason starts once Dick finally manages to turn on the car’s engine. He exhales and rubs his hands because it’s freezing cold out here. Not even setting the heat on is enough. Dick averts his gaze to the newest rookie and perhaps most inept officer in the whole police station of Blüdhaven and prays that he won’t die while going near the crime scene.

Or else Amy is going to absolutely _kill him_.

First, castrate him and then _kill_ him _-_

“Is that your family?” Jason points at a photo, touching it with his fingers and Dick freezes on the spot. Something like anger bubbles to the surface when he realizes what exactly. It’s an old photo of the family, probably three years ago, when Tim graduated High School.

If he looks closely he can see Barbara’s hand touching his waist and a faint blush on his face. Bruce had not been happy on that day. _Can we please separate the two lovebirds?_ Tim had singsong after taking another photo. _Save that for later guys! Let’s keep it PG, please!_

It boggles him, from time to time, how things have changed in such a short amount of time. Because now there’s no Barbara. No more conversation till 3 A.M discussing Star Trek. No Bruce to patrol with, no Damian to take care of, no Tim to talk to.

Now it’s only Dick _alone_ in Blüdhaven, living with cheap take-out food and an apartment filled with trash. He hasn’t called his family after Barbara broke up with him four months ago. _Dick,_ _I cannot do this anymore;_ she’d whispered with tears falling from her face. _I love you but I must focus on myself and I can’t, I can’t see you self-destruct anymore._

Maybe that is why he slaps Jason’s hand away, narrows his eyes, and spits with bare controlled anger.

“Don’t you _fucking_ touch it,” he hisses out.

They don’t speak for the rest of the ride.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading! :D

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! ♥️


End file.
